In 1824, New York state's Monroe County founded its first poorhouse to care for "the raving maniac, the young child, the infirm old man, and the seducer’s victim." Although poorhouses (also known as almshouses) were milestones in caring for the indigent, they were often rife with problems; the mentally ill, criminals, orphaned children, and those with any kind of disability were all placed under one roof without any kind of specialized treatment. This institution was the footprint of what was to become Rochester State Hospital.